All I Want for Christmas
by Kitschisme
Summary: My submission for BritishBitches' Official Twilight Smutvent Calendar 2008. Details and summary inside. Rated M for a delicious lemon flavored candy cane.


**A/N: Hello, all! This one shot is my submission for BritishBitches' Official Smutvent Calendar 2008.**

**Basic summary: Bella is a shy bookworm secretly in love with her gorgeous lab partner, Edward Cullen. They attend a mutual friend's Christmas party, and it turns out Edward feels the same. What will be the result when they end up locked in a closet together? Methinks it will be a delicious lemon flavored candy cane!**

BPOV

In college you learn to appreciate (or tolerate, really) the advantages of a well-thrown costume party. Or, rather, you learn to readjust your expectations for the holidays; especially Christmas.

It was bad enough when I'd made the realization as a child that Santa wasn't real, or when I'd realized as a teenager that Christmas was more an excuse for commercial satisfaction than a religious celebration. The older I got, the more I realized that Christmas really wasn't as wonderful or magical as I had once thought it was; the love and joy and time spent with family I had come to associate with the holiday were now tarnished by newer, more frivolous associations. It seemed my peers would find any excuse to drink themselves silly and dress up in ridiculous costumes. They were ruining my favorite holiday, and even worse, now I was being forced to take part in the debauchery.

These were the cynical thoughts running through my mind as I sat on Alice's bed, watching her rummage around in her gigantic, messy closet. She was bent over, her tiny rear end sticking up into the air as her hips swayed enthusiastically to the cheerful Christmas music playing on her computer. She was humming along to the music, sometimes singing, but usually getting the words completely wrong. Although I was annoyed at being held her fashion hostage yet again, I couldn't help but crack a smile. Alice had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. Her behavior was often quirky, and sometimes downright bizarre, but it was honestly one of the things I loved about her.

My other best friend, Rosalie, was seated at the head of Alice's bed, flipping idly through one of her magazines. She was already completely dressed; well, if you could call it _dressed_. Her red bustier was much closer to lingerie than actual clothing. There was a matching red mini skirt that went with it, and there was white fluffy trim around the edges. Her long legs were sheathed in knee high black leather boots. The height of the stiletto heel on them made me cringe. It was almost hard to believe she had the confidence to leave the house wearing something so revealing, but, then again, it _was_ Rosalie. Six foot tall, blonde and voluptuous, Rosalie would look like a supermodel even if she were dressed in filthy, stinky rags.

There were times when I wished that I possessed Rosalie's self-confidence. I had always been the shy one in our little trio of a friendship. Alice was bubbly and outgoing, and Rosalie was by far the bravest of us three. She never did anything half-ass, especially when it came to parties. She and her current boyfriend, Emmett, were really into that kind of stuff. It was his Christmas party we were attending this evening - He and Rosalie had been planning it for months, and everyone on campus expected it to be the social event of the season. In truth, I was excited to go; it would be my first college party. But I knew Emmett had only invited me because I was friends with Rosalie. Football players didn't generally hang out with bookworms.

I was distracted from my inner pity party as Alice spun around, a triumphant grin on her face. "Found it!" she squealed, holding a tiny white and silver garment out in front of her.

"What is _that_?" I demanded.

Alice rolled her eyes. "It's your costume for the party, silly." She shook out the tiny scrap of fabric so I could see it fully. It was a white mini dress; or, at least, I thought it was a dress. The bottom half was so short that it possibly could have been worn as a long tank top. It had thin rhinestone straps and was covered in hundreds of silver sequins. In Alice's other hand were a pair of sparkly, wire rimmed angel wings.

My eyes widened in terror. "No way. I am _not_ wearing that."

Alice rolled her eyes again. "_Come on_ Bella. Don't be so difficult."

I was still shaking my head back and forth vehemently, and I was sure the expression on my face resembled something close to undiluted terror. Rosalie looked up from her magazine, and made a face when she saw what Alice was holding.

"Bella's right," she snorted. "That is the tackiest outfit I've ever seen."

Alice threw her arms up in the air, exasperated. "Well, I hope you have some other suggestions," she snapped. "This is the only other costume I've got! I was the snow angel last year." Then she shot me an evil glare. "Beggars can't be choosey."

Rosalie sighed, hopping off the bed. "Don't worry about it, Al; I'll take care of Bella. Go and finish getting ready."

Alice shrugged in defeat, giving me one last martyred look before trudging past me and into her bathroom. She slammed the door behind her.

Rosalie laughed softly, shaking her head. I gave her an apologetic look.

She smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, she'll get over it. But at least try it on."

I complied willingly, stripping off my sweater and jeans and then pulling the white dress over my head. Rosalie stepped forward to adjust it on my body, tugging here and there and smoothing out the fabric. Then she raised her eyebrows in an appreciative expression. "Alice," she called, "Come and see."

Several second passed before Alice emerged from the bathroom. She was dressed in a costume that could have only been intended for a Christmas elf. It was different from Rosalie's costume but equally as revealing. Her bustier top was made of dark green velvet with tiny cap sleeves and gold trim around the edges. There was a matching skirt and a pair of dainty green ballet flats with tiny gold bells. She bounced up on her toes, making them jingle softly. Then she did a little pirouette so we could see the whole outfit.

"Nice costume," I teased.

Alice grinned back at me, and I was happy to see that she was no longer angry. "You too. See, I told you it wouldn't be so bad! It actually looks very flattering on you."

"Do you think so?" I looked down self consciously and smoothed my hands over the dress's silky fabric.

Alice sighed, grabbing my arm and towing me toward the full length mirror in the corner of her room. "See for yourself."

She was right; the dress really _was_ flattering on me. It was tightly fitted, but not too small. Its narrow sheath flowed effortlessly down my body, emphasizing curves I didn't even know I had. It wasn't even as short as I had pictured it, falling just a few inches above my knees. It also managed to make me look taller, somehow; leaner, more graceful.

"Fine," I sighed. "I'll wear it."

"YAY!" Alice clapped, bouncing up on her toes. "Tonight is going to be so much fun!" She continued bouncing up and down, causing the bells on her shoes to jingle loudly.

I held up a hand in front of her face. "Hold it, Alice. I have a few conditions."

Alice's bouncing ceased while she waited patiently for me to continue. I took a deep breath before I spoke.

"I'll wear the dress, but I'm bringing a cardigan to wear over it. And I am _not_ wearing those ridiculous angel wings."

Alice's eyes narrowed. "Which cardigan?"

"The white one with the beaded snowflakes on it; you know, the one helped Charlie pick out for me last Christmas."

Alice's seemed to contemplate the sweater for a moment, picturing it in her mind, and then her forced mask of composure suddenly burst into a grin of triumph. "Deal."

Rosalie smiled wryly. "I hope you're ready for this, Bells. It looks like _you're_ going to be the center of attention tonight."

"And it's about time, too," Alice stated firmly.

I eyed their outfits again, and suddenly found it very hard to believe anyone would be looking at _me _with two such gorgeous women at my side. Dress or no dress, I would still look plain next to them. "I seriously doubt that," I mumbled.

Rosalie's expression changed then, and suddenly became softer, more thoughtful. "You know, Emmett told me Edward Cullen is going to be there tonight."

I blushed scarlet at the mention of my mysterious, alluring lab partner. Despite the fact that I had sat next to him in Biology for an entire semester, our conversation had been limited. This wasn't due to any distaste for him on my part. On the contrary, I found him fascinating . . . and devastatingly attractive. But every time I tried to talk to him, my nerves would get the better of me. Now the semester was over, and it was likely I would never see him again outside of class. The thought of finally having a chance to speak to him tonight filled me with hope. And terror.

Rosalie noted the change in my expression, and her smile widened into a knowing grin. Alice's smile mirrored hers; they both seemed to know something I didn't. I looked at myself in the mirror again, and silently prayed that I could avoid making a fool out of myself tonight.

"Let's just get this over with," I grumbled.

--

It was over an hour later before we finally made it out of our apartment. Once it had been made known that Edward would be attending, Alice had insisted on putting my hair into rollers. I had to admit, the effect was nice; it fell across my shoulders in soft, 40's style waves. Rosalie applied my makeup - just a bit of peppermint flavored tinted lip gloss, mascara, and some illuminating foundation; it wasn't overly sparkly like body glitter, but was subtle enough so that it shimmered when the light hit it, giving my already pale face a translucent, glowing complexion. The whole ensemble went very well with my "snow angel" theme, but it was still a little odd when I looked at myself in the mirror; they had transformed me into someone I barely even recognized.

But although I felt pretty, that didn't change the fact that I was uncomfortable . . . and freezing. We had decided to walk since Emmett's house was only a few blocks away from our apartment, and my feet were already killing me. While Alice's strappy silver stilettos _did_ go perfectly with the dress, they also had the highest heel I'd ever worn. It felt as if my ankles were about to snap off as I stumbled awkwardly down the frozen street. I had also underestimated the frigid temperature outside; I pulled the sides of my ivory wool coat closer around my body, but that didn't prevent my teeth from chattering. Alice and Rosalie didn't seem at all bothered by the cold, which was strange, considering their outfits covered considerably less surface area of their bodies than mine did. But then again, they were more familiar than I was with the idea of suffering for the sake of fashion.

Thankfully, we soon came upon our destination. It was easy to tell which one was Emmett's right away. Both sides of the street were jammed packed with parked cars, and even more of them crowded the driveway. The two story white house was covered with obnoxious, multicolor flashing lights. Some were red and green, some blue, and some were even the white icicle kind. It was such a hodgepodge of random decorations that it was obvious it had been decorated by a bunch of college guys. The blaring music and pounding bass got louder as we climbed the front steps. Rosalie reached the door first; it was already open, so she didn't bother knocking. She stepped inside, and we followed after her.

I was immediately overwhelmed by the loud, riotous atmosphere inside. The front room was already wall-to-wall with people, many of them talking, shouting and dancing, and almost all of them holding red plastic cups. Rosalie led the way through the crowd, and people parted like the Red Sea to let her through. Tongues fell out of mouths as the male population took in her "Santa's Little Helper" outfit. Next their eyes went to Alice, who smiled and winked flirtatiously. My eyes were on my feet, so I couldn't tell if they were looking at me or not, but I wouldn't have been surprised if their eyes had skipped over me all together. Not that I minded, really. I felt no desire whatsoever to be drooled over like a piece if meat.

We finally reached the kitchen, and I immediately recognized Rosalie's boyfriend, Emmett. It would have been impossible to miss him, taking into account his giant frame and 250 pounds of solid hulking muscle, but it helped that he was wearing the most ridiculous outfit I had ever seen: red and green Christmas boxers, a fuzzy red bathrobe with fluffy white trim, and a ridiculous Santa hat.

Well, at least he and Rosalie matched.

"BABY!" he shouted as Rosalie came into view. He came forward and scooped her up into his strong arms, placing a wet sloppy kisses all over her face. She squealed and kicked her legs in protest, but I could tell she was actually enjoying herself. Emmett was a goof, but he was obviously crazy about her. I felt a small pang of jealousy, wishing someone would look at _me_ with such unadulterated adoration.

After several minutes of passionate kissing that was not exactly polite for company, Emmett emerged with a huge goofy smile and red lipstick marks all over his face. His smile stretched into a wide grin as he finally noticed our presence. "Hey, Alice, Bella. Thanks for coming!"

"Hey, Em. Thanks for inviting us!" Alice giggled. I smiled shyly at him.

"Here," he said, "Let's get you ladies some drinks."

As he led us further into the kitchen, I noticed Edward standing over by the punch bowl. I sucked in a sharp breath as I took in his outrageous perfection; he looked better than even my worst nightmares had predicted. I stopped dead in my tracks, my heart pounding. Alice continued walking several steps before she noticed my absence. She turned to narrow her eyes at me and then crooked her finger in my direction. My eyes widened in panic. When I didn't budge, she stomped over to where I was standing, grabbed my arm and literally dragged me toward the punch bowl.

Standing next to Edward behind the punch bowl was a handsome blonde guy I had never seen before. There was some pleasant quality about his face, and the way his crystal blue eyes lit up when he saw us approaching. Still, as handsome as he was, he was in no way comparable to Edward standing there in comparison. The green button down shirt he was wearing perfectly offset his pale ivory skin and brought out the exact color of his breathtaking emerald eyes. His tousled bronze hair looked even messier than usual, as if he had been nervously running his hands through it, as I noticed he did sometimes. I suddenly had to remind myself to breathe.

"Guys," Emmett called. "Let me introduce my girlfriend Rosalie and her friends, Alice and Bella."

It was the blonde named Jasper who spoke first. "Pleasure to meet you all," he said courteously in a soft southern accent. His greeting was inclusive for all of us, but I noticed that his eyes lingered specifically on Alice.

"Hi there," Alice replied, extending a hand toward him. Jasper took it, and there immediately seemed to be some spark of electricity between them. Jasper held onto Alice's hand for longer than was necessary and stared into her eyes with an inappropriate amount of intensity. Alice blushed, burying the side of her face against her arm. It was just a simple handshake, but the moment seemed so intimate that I felt the need to look away. Luckily, Emmett interceded, clearing his throat loudly. Jasper blinked, returning from whatever dream like state he had previously been in.

"And this is Rose's other friend, Bella," Emmett prodded, not-so-subtly hinting that Jasper should let go of Alice's hand.

"Sorry," Jasper mumbled, embarrassed. Then he extended a hand toward me with a warm smile on his face. "It's nice to meet you, Bella."

"You too," I said shyly.

"Bella," Emmett continued, amusement unmistakable in his voice, "I believe you already know Edward."

I looked to my right and found Edward leaning causally against the wall. My heart fluttered as he graced me with his famous crooked smile. "Hi, Bella," he said softly.

The smooth velvet tone of his voice was enough to send my already pounding heart into a complete frenzy. I didn't want to embarrass myself, so I settled for the simplest possible greeting. "Um, hi."

I continued to stare at him dumbly for the next several seconds. As usual, his beauty stunned me into silence and I couldn't think of anything to say to him. It was unbearably awkward.

"So, um, can I take your coats?" Emmett seemed desperate for a subject change.

"Sure," we all said at once. I quickly undid the buttons on my coat and slid it carefully off of my shoulders.

Jasper raised his eyebrows at me. "Wow, that's a nice dress."

I blushed. "Thanks. I borrowed it from Alice."

Jasper smiled at Alice and, again, I felt the need to look away.

Emmett returned from hanging up everyone's coats and immediately began passing out drinks. Once he was finished playing host he resumed fondling Rosalie and kissing her in a way that should have been illegal in public. I looked from him to Alice and Jasper, who were still staring dazedly at each other. There were moments when being one of the only single people in a group was unbearably awkward, and this was definitely one of those moments.

Instead I decided to steal a glance at Edward, and I was startled to find that he was already staring back at me. He had the strangest expression on his face - eyes blinking rapidly and mouth hanging open slightly. I'd seen that expression on guys before, but not directed at _me_, and certainly not from Edward Cullen. I blushed and looked down to my feet. _It's just the dress_, I told myself_._ _He wasn't looking at you_. Anxious for a distraction, I took a sip of my drink. A hot burn shot down my throat as I immediately spluttered and started coughing. Emmett's "Christmas punch" was definitely more alcohol than it was anything else.

"Are you alright?" Jasper asked, patting my back.

"I'm fine," I croaked. "Do you guys have anything a little . . . less . . . strong?"

Jasper laughed. "Yeah, we've got some sodas in the fridge."

I nodded. I started to head over there by myself, but then I saw Jasper not-so-discreetly kick Edward under the table. He must have put a considerable amount of force behind it, because Edward jumped a little and then winced in pain. "I'll take you, Bella," he croaked, restraint evident in his voice. He gently took my arm and led me toward the kitchen; I noticed he was trying not to limp as he walked. I looked back over my shoulder toward Alice with a pleading expression; she merely grinned and winked encouragingly.

My heart was beating frantically as I followed Edward into the kitchen. I leaned against the counter and attempted to compose myself while he rummaged around in the fridge. He emerged eventually with a Diet Pepsi in his hand. He opened it and then placed it on the counter next to me. I started at it, a little confused. "Thanks."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Is something wrong? I can get you something else if you'd like . . ."

"No, no," I said, assuring him. "Diet Pepsi is fine. I'm just surprised you knew it was my favorite."

"Oh," he mumbled, avoiding my eyes and shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "Well, I just noticed that you brought one to class sometimes . . . I told Emmett he should pick some up for you."

"Oh," I said quietly. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so I stalled by taking a long sip of my Pepsi.

It was Edward who broke the awkward silence. "So, great party, huh?"

"I wouldn't know," I admitted sheepishly. "I'm not much of a partier."

Edward barked out a short laugh. It was harsh, but it also sounded relieved. "Yeah," he sighed. "Me neither."

This surprised me. For some reason I had assumed Edward would have a very active social life. "So why are you here?"

Edward looked down to his feet, and I'd be willing to bet my life that I actually saw him blush. "Well," he mumbled, "Actually, I was hoping I would see you here."

A dozen different emotions flooded through me all at once, and I was so overwhelmed by them that I blurted out the only two words that could come to mind. "You were?"

He looked up with a timid smile, and my heart suddenly swelled with hope that maybe, by some miracle, Edward felt the same way about me as I felt about him. That hope immediately deflated, however, as I recalled an earlier part of our conversation. "Wait . . . Didn't you say you asked Emmett to pick up the sodas for me? How did you know I was coming?"

Edward's eyes grew wide and his mouth snapped shut, as if he had said something he hadn't intended to. He looked down to his feet again.

"What is it?" I asked, reaching out to touch his arm.

Edward took a deep breath, but still didn't look up at me. When he spoke again, he was mumbling. "Bella, I . . . I asked Emmett to invite you."

It took a few moments before the full meaning of what he was saying began to sink in. Had he asked Emmett to invite me as some sort of charity case? "I see."

Edward's eyes turned wide and panicked as he realized he had offended me, but I didn't stick around to see his full reaction. Tears pricked at my eyes as I turned away from him and headed toward the coat closet. I felt like a prize idiot for actually having hoped that he would feel the same way about me. In what world would that have ever happened? He was gorgeous and smart and interesting and mysterious, and I just . . . wasn't. I never would be.

I could feel him following after me, but I didn't stop. "Bella," he called, "Wait! I'm sorry, that came out wrong."

I kept walking until I reached the closet and practically ripped my coat off its hanger. I turned to flee, but Edward was already there, blocking the closet's entrance.

"Get out of my way, Edward."

"Bella," pleaded. "Listen to me; you don't understand . . ."

My response to him was practically a growl. "What is it, exactly, that I don't understand, Edward? That I'm so pitiful you felt like you had to _force_ Emmett to invite me? I'm already painfully aware of how pathetic my social life is. Thanks."

Edward let out a low, frustrated sound. "It wasn't out of pity, Bella. I asked Emmett to invite you because I wanted to talk to you."

"I've heard enough," I snapped. I tried to push past him again, but my path was completely obstructed as he pushed his own body forward, forcing me backwards into the closet. He shut the door behind him, and I heard the lock click as we were completely enveloped in darkness.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I shrieked.

"Don't scream," he whispered urgently. "I just want to talk to you."

"You want to talk to me _in a closet_?" I hissed. And then I felt ridiculous. Why was I even having this conversation? And _why_ was I whispering?

"Listen, Bella, I know this is going to sound crazy, considering we barely know each other, but . . . I like you, Bella. I really, really like you. I always have, ever since the first day I saw you in Biology. You probably thought I was indifferent to you, seeing as we barely spoke to each other, but it's only because I was so nervous to talk to you. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. It's a lame excuse, but it's true."

Edward paused and waited for my reaction, but I was stunned into silenced by his unexpected confession. When it became clear I wasn't going to say anything, he continued.

"Now the semester's over, and I was worried that it was too late. But then I decided that I had to at least tell you how I felt. And I know this is going to sound cheesy, but I'm going to say it anyway . . . All I want is . . . well, you. I want you, Bella. And I know you probably don't feel the same, and I'll respect that, but I figured, well, it's Christmas, and I just wanted to . . . check."

I was at a loss for words at that moment, and I couldn't tell whether I wanted to laugh or cry. Edward's speech _was_ definitely the cheesiest thing, but it was also undeniably the most romantic. His awkwardness made him infinitely more endearing, if that were possible. Even better than that, I _finally_ had an answer to the question I had been wrestling with for months; a confirmation that Edward did, in fact, have feelings for me. But despite my elation, I still found myself feeling unsatisfied. This was not the sort of conversation I wanted to have in the dark; I wanted to see his face. And if I couldn't see him, then I definitely wanted to touch him.

I reached out for him in the darkness until my fingers brushed the front of his chest. I gripped the fabric of his shirt in my fists and slowly started to move backward, pulling him to the back of the closet with me. I stopped when I felt my back hit up against the wall. Edward seemed to have caught on to my mood, because his breathing had become very ragged by this point. He leaned toward me, and his breath blew in hot puffs against my face. He reached out until his hands came in contact with my hips, and then he gripped them tightly, pulling my closer. Feeling bold now, I placed my hands over his and guided them up the curve of my waist and over my breasts until they rested on either side of my face. His thumb brushed across my lower lip, and, before I even had time to process anything, his mouth was on mine in a blazing, passionate kiss.

His lips felt perfect against mine, soft and smooth, and his breath enveloped me in a warm, delicious scent that was undeniably Edward. The kiss quickly became rougher as his tongue thrust into my mouth, fighting mine for dominance. He tasted like alcohol, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant; the fruity taste of the punch blended well with the sweet mintyness of his breath. I welcomed him in willingly, twisting my fingers in his soft, messy hair and anchoring his face as close to mine as possible. I almost whined when he tore his lips away from mine, but then he replaced them on my neck. I actually gasped in surprise; it was very exciting doing this in the dark, not knowing what the other person was going to do next. As if in response to that thought, Edward began lavishing my neck with attention, alternating between flicking his tongue at across the hollow at the base of my throat and sucking on the sensitive spot beneath my ear. A quiet whimper escaped my lips as he moved upward, sucking and nibbling softly on my ear lobe. He moved lower again, and a violent shudder ripped through my body as I felt his teeth drag across my collarbone.

Edward pushed himself into me until I was pressed up against the wall. He pressed our lower bodies together, and I became acutely aware of a very obvious hardness straining in his pants. Feeling bold again, I pressed my hips forward so they brushed lightly against him. Edward groaned loudly, and without warning grabbed the backs of my thighs so that he could hoist me up and press me tighter against the wall. I wrapped my legs around his waist, bringing us even closer. Edward's face was buried in the crook of my neck, and he was panting heavily.

"You have no idea," he whispered, "how badly I've wanted you. I used to have fantasizes about you; about us, together. I used to stare at you in Biology and daydream about throwing you on top of the lab table and . . ."

I smiled to myself in the darkness. Edward had no idea now clearly I did understand _that _particular fantasy.

Edward was still panting heavily into my neck, but he pulled back so that our faces were level, despite the fact that he couldn't see me. "Bella," he whispered again, "I know this is crazy, and it probably seems like we're moving too fast, but . . . I feel . . . like I might explode . . . if I don't touch you."

I smiled again to myself. "Well, we wouldn't want that to happen, would we?" I asked playfully. Then I took his hand and lead it between my legs to my panty-covered center, which I was certain to be completely soaked. "Touch me."

Edward groaned loudly and started stroking me through the fabric. "You're sure?" he breathed."I don't want you to regret this." I could tell he was trying to be a gentleman, but I could also tell that he really didn't want me to say no. It was charming; and also infuriating. It felt like _my_ head was going to explode soon if he didn't touch me, especially with him rubbing those slow maddening circles through my underwear.

"I never met a guy who talks as much as me," I teased, trying to hide the pathetic need trembling in my voice.

Edward chuckled softly in his deep throaty laugh, and then surprised me by suddenly moving my panties to the side and thrusting two of his fingers into me. "OH!" I squeaked. The he started thrusting his fingers in and out of me, slowly and then gradually faster, and my tiny noises started turning into moans. "_Oh . . . Ohhhhh . . . Edwaaaard . ._ ."

Edward buried his face in the crook of my neck again, placing hot, open-mouthed kisses across my skin while he continued pleasing me. I felt him suck some of my sin into my mouth and bite it gently with his teeth. I moaned loudly, throwing my head back against the wall. My insides began to contact around his fingers as I tightened my legs around his waist; I could feel my orgasm coming.

Edward could feel it, too. Unexpectedly, he pressed his thumb into my clit, causing me to tumble over the edge into wave after wave of euphoria. Edward held me close while I rode out my orgasm, kissing me softly and whispering into my ear. I lay there in his arms, panting and trembling for several minutes before he finally set me down in my feet. I heard a soft sucking sound in the darkness, and I shivered at the thought of him tasting me on his fingers.

"Your turn? I asked playfully, wrapping my arms around his waist.

Edward laughed. "As tempting as that offer sounds, we should probably get back out there. They've probably noticed our absence by now. Plus," he added, "I don't want you to do anything you're not ready for."

Silly Edward. "But I want to," I pouted.

Edward laughed again, taking my face between his hands and placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Later, love," he promised.

I would hold him to that.

I was the first to emerge into Emmett's hallways, and the bright ceiling lights blinded me momentarily. Edward stepped behind me out of the closet. I turned around to look at him, and was stunned by his beautiful sexed-up glory. His lips were red and swollen and his hair was abnormally messy, and I was certain that I looked about the same. Several loud giggles and wolf whistles sounded as people took in our disheveled appearances. I was blushing furiously, but Edward had a beautiful crooked smirk across his face. He helped me adjust the bottom of my dress and then brushed my messy hair out of my eyes. Then he placed a sweet, tender kiss on my forehead. He took my hand, leading me toward the living room where we found Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and Jasper all seated together on the couch.

Alice smiled when she saw us approaching, and then her eyes zeroed in on my hand, which was clasped tightly within Edward's. Then, as she took in my wild, messy hair and my disheveled appearance, a large knowing grin spread across her face.

"Did you two have fun in the closet?" she asked innocently.

Jasper snorted, and both Emmett and Rosalie burst into fits of hysterical laughter. I ignored them as I towed Edward toward the couch. He sat down first, and I was about to take the spot directly next to him before his arms encircled around my waist and he pulled me onto his lap. "Not close enough," he whispered into my hair. I smiled, and snuggled contentedly against his chest, where I would stay for the remainder of the evening.

The six of us stayed on Emmett's couch even after all the other party guests had left. There was a lot of talking and laughing, and the reliving old memories - We even made some new ones in the process. As I looked around at my new group of friends, I immediately felt warmed by the glowing, happy looks on their faces. I couldn't even help the giant goofy grin that was plastered across my own face, because for the first time in years, I remembered why I was celebrating.

**A/N: So I know this wasn't as graphic as my lemons usually are, but I kind of like that about it. Nevertheless, I've been contemplating adding a follow-up chapter with an actual full length lemon in it. Review if that's something you would like to see happen.**

**Also, credit for the line "I've never met a guy who talks as much as me" must go to the film "The Holiday." I love that movie, and that particular line was just too good to pass up.**


End file.
